Maybelline Color Show Polka Dot Swatches & a life update...

I know it's been well over a month since I've posted any nail polish swatches.  That doesn't mean that I haven't been shopping like a maniac. But as much as I love blogging, life happens. Fortunately, my reason for being MIA were positive reasons.  I started a new job last month and I'm having to reorganize my blogging routine.  I spent a good amount of time yesterdaty, determined to share with you some of my recent purchases.  I have several collections all ready to share with you and will try to stay on top of my blogging schedule. I really did miss sharing with you my newest lovelies. 

So today, I'm sharing with you the Maybelline Color Show Polka Dot Collection.  It is said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.  If that is true, than the Indie Polish makers should really be flattered. Many of the national and international brands have introduced finishes very similar to those finishes already known in the Indie lines.  Maybelline has recently released its Color Show Polka Dot Collection.  With the exception of Clearly Spotted, each of these polishes are in a tinted milky-jelly base, with multi-sized, & multi-shaped, black and white glitters. Although I'm wear these with no undercoat, I would like to try them as top coats also.

First, is Drops of Jade-a milky jade green jelly base with the black & white glitters. Here, I'm wearing two coats. These polishes give you that "sandwich" look that some many polish addicts wear. 

Next is Dotty, an milky orange jelly base with the black & white glitters.  I was hesitant to get this shade but I love the way it complements my skin tone.  Two coats.

This next polish is the version I believe started the trend.  This is Clearly Spotted - a clear base with the black & white glitters.  It will complement any and every color of polish. You are only limited by your imagination.  I don't know why, but worn alone, this polish reminds me of cookies n' creme...LOL!  One Coat.

Here is Pretty In Polka. This is a milky magenta-pink jelly base with the black & white glitter. Here I'm wearing two coats. While I could use an undercoat, as seen here, one isn't absolutely necessary.    

Lastly, is Blue Marks The Spot. A milky, dusty, blue base with the black & white glitters. It should be no surprise that I would love this blue.

Well that is it for the Maybelline Color Show Polka Dot collection. I'm glad that I as able to find it and will be looking to the indie lines for the latest trends. I wonder what other trends are going to rise up from the indie lines. LOL!  Have you been wanting to try this trend but was turned off by the price tag  of some of the indie brands? Well here is your chance to give them a try.

Maybelline Color Show line is readily available at many of the mass retailers and drug store chains. The Polka Dot collection was released late June, so it should still be fairly easy to find. I bought my collection at Walgreens. So be on the lookout and although they are regularly priced at less than $4.00 a bottle, remember, Walgreens and CVS often have Maybelline on sale BOGO 50% off.

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money, unless otherwise noted. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Maybelline: Color Goes Electric Color Show Nail Polishes

I had been hearing about the New Limited Edition Maybelline Color Goes Electric line including the glosses, blushes, lipsticks and nail polishes for a couple weeks now. But from the pictures I had seen, I was underwelmed.  The lipsticks looked very similiar to the Maybelline Colorsensations Vivids I already own; the glosses also looked very similar, and the nail polishes really didn't WOW me.  But as fate would have it, tonight I was in a local Walgreens and they had the Maybelline Color Goes Electric display.  Being the nail polish addict that I am, I at least, had to take a look at them. OMG! The pictures that I had seen did not do any justice for the actual polishes.  The pictures all looked like creams and didn't look like anything really special. I made the "mistake" of picking up one of the bottles.  Before I knew it I had 7 of 10 in my shopping cart.  And I wouldn't be surprised if I go back for the other 3.

If you've watched any of my YT videos or read any of my blog posts, it will be no surprise that the first polishes I picked up were the blues and purples.  Passionate Plum is a deep purple with a blue/pink irridescent. It is gorgeous.

Another polish I gravitated toward was Extreme Orange. This will be a great summer color; it's bright without being neon. It has a golden luster finish and I think this will complement any tanned skin.

 Shock Wave was another one of the polishes I thought was just your average cream of which I already had several dupes. But I was wrong. Shock Wave is a bright cobalt blue with a luster finish.

 Green has never been my favorite color, but surprisingly, I have quickly gathered several green polishes.  Lustrous Lime is a bright electric lime green with a golden luster.

Intense Teal, I don't know if it's because my town's NFL Team's colors are Teal & Black, but whatever the reason, teal is another color that I have added a lot of to my collection. This is one color that could be worn year-round. Deep enough for winter, yet vivid enough for Spring & Summer.

Flash of Purple, is a gorgeous violet purple. I can think of at least one other polish I want to do a side-by-side comparison.  It has a pink irridesicent undertone.

Lastly, but there should be no doubt, that I would buy this polish. Blast of Blue is a beautiful navy blue with a slight purple/green irridescence.

Well that's it for now. Again, I just wanted to quickly share these with you because they are a Limited Edition and since Walgreens has them on sale this week through Saturaday, 3/2/2013, BOGO 50% off, I wouldn't want you to miss out.  I'll be doing additional blog posts with full manicure swatches and comparisons where available.

Have you purchased any of the New Limited Edition Maybelline Color Goes Electric collection and so which did you buy? I need to see a swatch of that orang blush also.

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by and of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.A

REVIEW: Maybelline Great Lash Limited Edition Color Mascaras

As I have said previously, I love Maybelline mascaras.  They are one of my favorites, even over higher-end, department store mascaras.  Also, if you have followed my blog or any other social media venue, it is no secret that purple and blue are my two favorite colors. So it goes without saying that when I saw the latest display of Maybelline color mascaras at my local Walgreens, that I jumped at the purple and blue.   

I have been looking for a vibrant blue and purple eye liner as well as a mascara for ages.  So have I found the mascara I have been looking for? Let's See...

As you see the brush is the standard Great Lash brush. The colors on the brushes are vibrant enough, but how about on the lashes?

I started with 2 coats of Pop of Purple. And although not the same vibrancy as on the display, you can see the purple.  But I wanted more...

So I decided to try it with a white lash primer.  Thinking of the same that I do with polishing my nails a bright neon, I use a white under coat.  So here is Pop of Purple with Lash Primer (Sephora Perfecting Lash Primer).  A little more color, but this is with indoor lighting. So let's try it with the intense lighting of an OTT light...

Bamm!!! Pop of Purple with Lash Primer under Ott Light. I see the purple, but still not at the intensity level as advertised on the display.

Next was Blink of Blue. Much like the Pop of Purple, you can see the color but still not as vibrant of the display because I don't know about you, but I don't walk around with an overhead OTT Light...LOL!

I tried the same primer trick. So here is Blink of Blue layered over my Sephora Perfecting Lash Primer.

  

Lastly, here is Blink of Blue under my OTT Light...BAMM!!!

So what is my opinion of these latest mascaras?  While I was really excited about seeing the colored mascaras, I would love to see these colors more vibrant and with one of the other Maybelline mascara products, like Falsies.  Great Lash, when compared to some of the more recent Maybelline products, just does not give me what I want in a mascara. I am going to try layering these with some of my favorite mascaras to see if I get the look I am aiming for and a look closer to the display. 

Have you spotted these latest Maybelline Limited Edition Color Mascaras yet? If so which colors did you jump on?  I think I will get the teal since my town's NFL Team's (Jacksonville Jaguar) colors are teal and black.

BTW: Please excuse the tired eyes. I was so tired but really wanted to get this post done ASAP. LOL!

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by and of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Maybelline Color Show Nail Polishes

Earlier this year, Maybelline New York announced the release of their new collection of 40 polish shades.  As a nail polish addict, from the moment of the announcement, I was on the hunt for the Maybelline New York Color Show collection. So I was really excited when I first saw a part of the collection in my local Walgreens.  They had about half of the collection and I then found the other half at Walmart.  I haven't seen the entire collection at any one retailer.  I grabbed my first 2 at Walgreens and another 3 at Walmart.  If you have followed my blog, my twitter or facebook, you know that I LOVE blues and purples, and so of course, the first of this collection I purchased was blues and a purple. 

The collection has several finishes from creams, metallics, shimmers, mattes, denims and what they are calling their crackles-shredded.

So I picked up a couple of their metallics.  The first is Navy Narcissist.  A gorgeous metallic blue.  The application was good with not any real issues.  This is two coats.

The next shade I picked up was Blue Freeze. Another blue, but this was a navy blue with purple and blue shimmers.

Next, I think is my favorite of bunch I have purchased so far is Denim Dash. It is a satin-matte finish blue with silver specks.  I don't own anything similar to this so I am glad that I added it to my collection.  Application was a dream. 

The next polish I grabbed from the denim collection was a darker blue, called Styled Out.  This is another satin-matte finish with teal specks.  These two Denim polishes remind me of some of my favor jeans.  These two denims also apply with ease.  Hopefully they will release the equivalent to a dark or black denim.

Lastly, I could not pass up a purple metallic I found at Walmart. Amethyst Ablaze is a gorgeous purple metallic.

BTW, the shade name is the same as one of the EYE STUDIO® COLOR EXPLOSION™ eye shadows I own. It looks like they have reused some of the names of their previous products.

As a whole, from the shades I have tried, this is a great collection: many great colors, readily available at your local discount retailers, almost opaque with one coat, great prices ($5.99 at Walgreens, $2.97 at Walmart). and several finishes.  From the colors I've seen, most of the current trends can be covered with this collection (brights, neons, metallics, etc.)

Have you tried any of the new Maybelline Color Show collection? If so, which colors and what was your opinion?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by and of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Review: Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara

I am such a sucker for new drugstore mascaras. And Maybelline has been my longtime favorite brand. I have tried and like everything from Full & Soft, Great Lash, Lash Discovery, Illegal Length, Lash Stiletto, and fell in love with the Falsies line.  So needless to say when I recently saw a new Maybelline mascara at my local Walgreens, I jumped at the opportunity to try it.  I had used the Volum' Express mascara line for years. Their newest edition is Volum' Express - The Mega Plush Mascara.   The newest mascara trends have been fibers for lengthening. However, this touts a Gel-Mousse formula, that promises massive, supple voluminous lashes.  It also promises volume without the brittle feel that most mascaras leave.  Something else different about this product is the brush handle.  They call it a "Flexor-Brush", and flex is exactly what it can do. You can pretty much flex the brush head to a 90 degree angle. This is good to help get to those hard to reach lashes.  However, this is a large, fat brush head, so getting the lower lashes without getting it on your skin can be difficult.  Next time, I will use the spoon method to avoid that problem. (hold a plastic teaspoon between your lash and lash line to prevent getting the mascara on your skin).

Mega Plush is a volumizing mascara and so it does not promise lengthening but I did get some lengthening.  I can agree with another of their promises. My lashes don't have that thick, hard, waxy feel that most mascaras leave.  They don't feel bare but they do feel a lot softer than with most.  As I said, early, I found this at Walgreens and the price was $7.99; pretty much in line with most of the Maybelline mascaras.  It comes in the standard black, very black, and brownish black.  It also comes in a waterproof formula.  I am sure it can be found where every Maybelline products are carried.

Here is my first application of Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara.  Also, a quick video showing the brush head.  Maybelline has once again given me a winner. Once I get a handle on handling the brush head for my lower lashes, we will have another great option.  This is only 2 coats.

Have you tried the latest Maybelline mascara, Mega Plush? If so, what were your thoughts?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by and of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Liddies for the Latte' Ladies...(Corny, I know, LOL!)

I realize that none of these products are new, but I want to present then on a warmer skintone. Just to give you a look at these shadows, on another skintone (NW43 / MUFE173). Hopefully, seeing different shades on a different skintone, may help to determine how it might look on you.
I will start with a few of the Loreal 24 Hour Infallible Shadows.  Of the 12 in the collection, I have 4, Midnight Blue, Eternal Sunshine, Golden Sage, and Perpetual Purple. The application was smooth. They have both a powder and a cream consistency. However I can not attest to their lasting 24 hours as I have not worn them for that period of time. These are available anywhere Loreal is sold.





Another drugstore eye product I recently picked up was the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Too Cool, which is an ice shimmer, and Pomegranate Punk, which is a mauve-pink shimmer. These can be worn alone or as a base.  I purchased these 2 colors in particular to be worn not as base but as a full on shadow.  The Too Cool will be my tear-duct highlighter.  This is another case where I can not attest to their lasting 24 hours as I have not worn them for that period of time.  These shadows are available anywhere Maybelline is sold.

Lastly, I was recently enjoying one of my guilty pleasures, Basketball Wives, (don't judge me, LOL!) and one of the wives had this gorgeous purple smokey eye and I have been on the hunt for similar shadows ever since. I went by my MAC counter and picked up a few. From the Pro Longwear line, I got Plush to use as the overall lid color. Then I got Beautiful Iris for the inner eye area, and Contrast for the outter corner.  I also picked up Woodwinked to compliment my Blue-Brown pigment. I also picked up Saddle to use as a skintone transition color.  So hopefully I will be successful with the purple smokey-eye.  I have always bee a neutral girl but I am venturing outside my comfort zone just a little bit.


So what other shadow brands and shades do you like and would suggest?


Grace, Peace, and Blessings.


* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

REVIEW: Dept Store vs Drug Store Mascara

Where I will spend upwards of $15-20 for a nail polish, I had always said that I would not spend an exorbitant amount for mascara. I had always found that I get a great results from the drug store brands of mascara so I saw no reason to spend $20, $30, $40 for a department store mascara.  

But back in September, Ulta had their 21 days of Beauty in which they had Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, Buy One, Get One Free; not 50% off, but FREE.  So that put them at $8.50 each. That was a price I could tolerate. And this gave me the opportunity to actually do a comparison between drug store and department store mascaras.
So I decided to compare it to Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express; which I had been using for several months.  Maybelline is a drug store brand that can be found everywhere, Walmart, Walgreens, grocery stores, Target, and CVS.  It averages $7.49 and can often be found on sale, Buy One, Get One at 50% off.  Maybelline had been one of two brands that I had used for decades. Whenever I found a duo pack, I would stock up. But I was adamant that I would not spend a lot for mascara.

Both are water-proof and did not flake. Both gave me the volume I was seeking. Both are washable and easily removed with "soap and water". I use Philosophy Purity Made Simple as my facial cleasner and have no trouble removing the product. Comparing the brushes, I preferred the Maybelline Falsie "Spoon" brush over the Tarte brush. It is suited to prevent clumping, but separating. And makes getting to the shorter lashes easy.  On their own merits, I had no issues with either.  But is one better than the other, or is the more expensive mascara "better than" the drug store brand?  I'm going to let the results speak for themselves. 

To the left is the Tarte, Lights, Camera, Lashes before and after. To the right is the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express before and after.

What do you think? And which do you prefer department store or drug store mascaras? What is your favorite mascara? I am happy with both. But I prefer the results of the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Mascara, therefore, there is no need to spend unnecessarily.  I am excited to compare the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express to the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Flared. Will I get my Angel Wings? LOL! 

Grace, Peace, and Blessings. 

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*FTC Disclaimer:

• These products were purchased with my own monies.
• I am not being compensated in any manner for this review.
• I am not affiliated with either company.
• These are my honest opinions of these products.